Power storage device, cell, balance operation method, and program

Abstract

A power storage device includes: a plurality of series-connected battery cells (311); a balance circuit (112) that is provided for each of the plurality of battery cells (311), and is connected with corresponding one of the battery cells; a first temperature sensor (111) that is provided for every one or more of the balance circuits (112), and measures a temperature of a corresponding balance circuit (112); and a control unit (121) that stops an operation of the corresponding balance circuit (112) when a first measured temperature measured by the first temperature sensor (111) is equal to or more than a first upper reference temperature, and restarts an operation of the corresponding balance circuit (112) when the first measured temperature becomes equal to or less than a first lower reference temperature that is lower than the first upper reference temperature after an operation of the corresponding balance circuit (112) is stopped.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A power storage device comprising:
 a plurality of series-connected battery cells; 
 a balance circuit that is provided for each of the plurality of battery cells, and is connected with corresponding one of the battery cells; 
 a first temperature sensor that is provided for every one or more of the balance circuits, and measures a temperature of a corresponding balance circuit; and 
 a controller that stops an operation of the corresponding balance circuit when a first measured temperature measured by the first temperature sensor is equal to or more than a first upper reference temperature, and restarts an operation of the corresponding balance circuit when the first measured temperature becomes equal to or less than a first lower reference temperature that is lower than the first upper reference temperature after an operation of the corresponding balance circuit is stopped, 
 wherein the balance circuit includes a resistive element that consumes discharge energy of the battery cell corresponding to the balance circuit, in order to reduce a voltage difference between the plurality of battery cells. 
 
     
     
       2. The power storage device according to  claim 1 , further comprising
 a communication unit that outputs, information to an external monitoring device, 
 wherein the information is capable of specifying the balance circuit or a battery cell corresponding to the balance circuit when an operation stop time of the balance circuit due to the first measured temperature becoming equal to or more than the first upper reference temperature exceeds a reference value per unit time, or when an operation stop number-of-times of the balance circuit due to the first measured temperature becoming equal to or more than the first upper reference temperature exceeds a reference number-of-times per unit time. 
 
     
     
       3. The power storage device according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second temperature sensor that is more distant from the balance circuit than the first temperature sensor is, wherein
 the controller uses, instead of the first measured temperature, a difference temperature between the first measured temperature and a second measured temperature measured by the second temperature sensor, stops an operation of the corresponding balance circuit when the difference temperature is equal to or more than a second upper reference temperature, and restarts an operation of the corresponding balance circuit when the difference temperature becomes equal to or less than a second lower reference temperature after an operation of the corresponding balance circuit is stopped. 
 
     
     
       4. The power storage device according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the plurality of balance circuits, the first temperature sensor, and the second temperature sensor are provided on an identical circuit board, and 
 the circuit board includes a through-hole region that penetrates through the circuit board between the balance circuit and the second temperature sensor. 
 
     
     
       5. The power storage device according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the controller stops an operation of the corresponding balance circuit 
 when the first measured temperature is equal to or more than the first upper reference temperature, regardless of the difference temperature. 
 
     
     
       6. The power storage device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 a difference between the first upper reference temperature and the first lower reference temperature is 5° C. or more and 10° C. or less. 
 
     
     
       7. The power storage device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller changes the first upper reference temperature depending on magnitude of a variation in voltage between the plurality of battery cells. 
 
     
     
       8. The power storage device according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the controller uses, when charging the plurality of battery cells, the first upper reference temperature that is higher than a temperature when discharging the plurality of battery cells. 
 
     
     
       9. A cell balance operation method performed by a power storage device, wherein the power storage device includes:
 a plurality of series-connected battery cells; 
 a balance circuit that is provided for each of the plurality of battery cells, and is connected with corresponding one of the battery cells; and 
 a first temperature sensor that is provided for every one or more of the balance circuits, and measures a temperature of a corresponding balance circuit, 
 wherein the balance circuit includes a resistive element that consumes discharge energy of the battery cell corresponding to the balance circuit, in order to reduce a voltage difference between the plurality of battery cells, 
 the method comprising: 
 stopping an operation of the corresponding balance circuit when a first measured temperature measured by the first temperature sensor is equal to or more than a first upper reference temperature; and 
 restarting an operation of the corresponding balance circuit when the first measured temperature becomes equal to or less than a first lower reference temperature that is lower than the first upper reference temperature after an operation of the corresponding balance circuit is stopped. 
 
     
     
       10. A non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that records a program for causing a power storage device to implement a control function, wherein the power storage device-includes:
 a plurality of series-connected battery cells; 
 a balance circuit that is provided for each of the plurality of battery cells, and is connected with corresponding one of the battery cells; and 
 a first temperature sensor that is provided for every one or more of the balance circuits, and measures a temperature of a corresponding balance circuit, 
 wherein the balance circuit includes a resistive element that consumes discharge energy of the battery cell corresponding to the balance circuit, in order to reduce a voltage difference between the plurality of battery cells, 
 the control function comprising: 
 stopping an operation of the corresponding balance circuit when a first measured temperature measured by the first temperature sensor is equal to or more than a first upper reference temperature; and 
 restarting an operation of the corresponding balance circuit when the first measured temperature becomes equal to or less than a first lower reference temperature that is lower than the first upper reference temperature after an operation of the corresponding balance circuit is stopped.